Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner and billionaire businessman Sanjeev Goenka was spotted talking furiously to skipper KL Rahul after their team’s crushing 10-wicket defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday, May 8.
After posting a total of 165/4, thanks to brilliant performances by Ayush Badoni (55*) and Nicholas Pooran (48*), LSG couldn't defend their total as SRH chased down a 166-run target in just 9.4 overs. Openers Travis Head (89* off 30 balls) and Abhishek Sharma (75* off 28 balls) unleashed their firepower and mercilessly targetted visitors bowling attack.
Head and Abhishek formed a scintillating unbeaten 167-run partnership for the opening wicket to chase down the target set by Lucknow Super Giants in less than 10 overs.
Yash Thakur leaked the most runs as he conceded 47 runs without taking a wicket with an economy rate of 17.60 in 2.3 overs.
After the match, LSG skipper KL Rahul met his franchise owner Sanjeev Goenka and both had a chat. Goenka was visibly not pleased with the team's result as he was having a heated chat with Rahul. Apparently, LSG owner was not happy with certain decisions taken by KL Rahul on the field while defending the total. The video of the same went viral on social media.
After opting to bat first, Lucknow Super Giants lost two early wickets in Quinton de Kock (2) and Marcus Stoinis (3) and they were at 21/2 in 4.2 overs. Skipper KL Rahul was struggling with the bat as he managed to score only 29 runs off 33 balls at an abysmal strike rate of 87.88 before he was dismissed by Pat Cummins at 57/3
The all-rounder Krunal Pandya hit a couple of sixes and scored 24 off 21 balls before he was run out by Cummins at 66/4. Thereafter, Nicholas Pooran was joined by Ayush Badoni at the crease and pair formed a crucial unbeaten 99-run partnership to take the team past 150-run mark and post a respectable total of 165/4 on the board.
'I'm lost for words': KL Rahul
LSG skipper KL Rahul admitted that he didn't have a word to say after he witnessed 'unreal batting' by Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. Rahul hailed SRH opening duo for working on their six hitting skills, adding that they didn't give the visitors a chance in the second innings.
"I Am lost for words. We have watched that kind of batting on tv. But this is unreal batting. Everything seemed to find the middle of the bat. Kudos to their skills. They have worked hard on their six hitting skills." KL Rahul said.
"They didn't give us a chance to know what the pitch played in the second innings. Was hard to stop them as they teed off from ball one."
With the defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Lucknow Super Giants chances of qualifying for the playoffs have been dented as they slipped to sixth spot with six wins and as many losses. KL Rahul-led side need to win against Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians in order to finish top 4 in the league stage.
